Cleanliness is essential for good health. The spread of infectious disease has reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the world. Even in the more technically advanced countries, the increase in the spread of contagious diseases, which in many cases is fatal to the victim, has reached an alarming level and has caused great fear and anxiety. Because of the nature of human beings and the manner in which they interrelate, contagious disease and illness is frequently transmitted by hand. It has been determined that some organisms live for 150 minutes on the skin. Because many patients can be handled in a 2 1/2 hour period, the risk of cross-infection is clearly great. The need for a high degree of cleanliness in certain environments such as hospitals, clinics, restaurants etc., is thus obvious. Great precautions are taken in these types of facilities to minimize the transfer of disease- causing microbes among people. In many cases, the transfer of disease is caused by improper cleaning such as of one's hands or by the improper or unauthorized handling of contaminated materials. Frequently, access to and the handling of contaminated materials or objects is inadvertent and the individual involved may not be aware that he or she has touched or been exposed to the source of contamination.
This invention addresses the aforementioned problems encountered in the prior art by providing a method which permits an individual to evaluate the effectiveness of his or her handwashing technique as well as to apprise the individual of his or her patterns of contact in a given area.